Writer/Artist James Ritchey III teams with premiere independent publisher AC Comics (Femforce) to bring a modern take on an old standard. The Green Lama debuted in December of 1940 as the brainchild of author Ken Crossen, with his emerald visage being drawn by the likes of legendary Mac Raboy, then gone on to star in his own radio serial, and eventually was resurrected by Bill Black’s AC Comics.

The Lama’s 'second coming' is well at hand, as James Ritchey, III (working in concert the Crossen Estate and AC Comics) is set to bring this classic character into a brave new world. Rising from the ashes of a Third World War--called 'The Neutronic Exchange" by Spin-Doctors for a corrupt, never-ending Presidency--a young Jethro Dumont finds himself discovering a long buried piece of his soul--and dons a fresh variation of the jade cowl, cloak and mantle.

Fans of the Vertigo-esque fare, and those who have a library filled with the likes of Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, & Frank Miller--or even Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelazny, will find this initial two-issue graphic novella--the start of a dynamic new series--a treat. Mixing Ritchey’s iconic, classic art style with an 'out there', post-modern story, it’s the perfect blend of something old and something new.

Bill Black says of the series:

“The GREEN LAMA lives once more in a darkly contemporary twist on theAC Comics universe. This is a new, more 'character-driven' andrefreshingly inventive 're-imagining' of one of the most enduringsuper-heroes of the Golden Age--as writer/artist James Ritcheyrevitalizes Pulp, Comics and Science Fiction great Kendall FosterCrossen's legendary MAN OF STRENGTH for the 21st Century.

World War III has come and gone--demons run amok in the streets, halfof humanity, lost. Can an unsuspecting college student, Jethro "Jet"Dumont II, who has only now come to realize that he is THE GREEN LAMAREBORN, bring back order, justice, and sanity--and heal the soul of awounded world? Worst of all--can he do it in time to prevent theenslavement and destruction of rhe rest of humanity, by The GREENLAMA'S oldest and most deadly nemesis?

Four years in the making, this "Elseworlds"-meets-"Vertigo" style riffon the classic Golden Age hero takes place in a reality apart from theusual AC dimension. Guest-starring a very different type ofFEMFORCE--including Ms. Victory, Synn, Nightveil and She-Cat as you'veNEVER seen them before--as well as GOLDEN LAD, and a 'puzzle' ofcameos by classic Prize and Spark Publications' heroes and heroines onpar with Finnegan's Wake! Thirty-three pages of never-before-publishedstory and art--and the birth of a great new series!!”

The book is set for a street date of March 5th, 2008 (in Diamond’s PREVIEWS for March) but those that cannot wait until then can get a special limited run collector's edition right now:

THE GREEN LAMA’S rebirth is not limited to the comic pages. The internet has been invaded by disciples of the Lama:

http://www.myspace.com/greenlamalives

Where you can listen to a selection of the old 1940s radio show, and see the latest news counting down to the arrival of The Green Lama:

Join writer/artist James Ritchey, III and inker Loki Dolza, in the birth (or is it rebirth?) of a strange new world filled with familiar--and not so familiar--faces. Available now at AC Comics for a limited time, and then in stores everywhere March 5th 2008! Be the first to witness a revolution!

Those interested in interviews or articles please don’t hesitate to contact for more information.

I'm genuinely curious about this - the whole public domain superhero thing is fascinating.

Terra Obscura actually had a version of the Black Terror, simply called "The Terror", and a guy called the Green Ghost, who was a yogi-type probably derivative of the GreenLama or another Public Domain character. It seems to me that some of the older characters are just quaint, rather than interesting, material. There are a few gems out there though.

Which is why he’ll probably pop up in one of my works sooner or later.

Oh, and the Green Ghost (who I believe was originally just The Ghost) was in Terra Obscura, not the Green Lama. The Green Lama was actually barely a comic character. He only made about a dozen (or maybe two dozen, I can't remember) comics appearances. He's more famous as a pulp character and the star of his own radio show.